Santa Maria in Cosmedin
Santa Maria in Cosmedin is the national church for Catholics of the Melkite rite, as well as a minor basilica of the 9th century, and is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is located at Piazza della Bocca della Verità 18. Pictures of the church on Wikimedia Commons. [1] There is an English Wikipedia page. [2] History Origins of Rome were here It is possible that the church stands on the site of what is, for Rome, a truly ancient site of worship. It is located in the Forum Boarium, a flat piece of ground on the curve of one of the Tiber's meanders where the Capitoline, Palatine and Aventine hills meet. Archaeologists have struggled to discern anything from earlier than the Iron Age (after 1200 BC) in the city under the plenitude of more recent remains, but it is clear that several of the seven hills were occupied by little villages of huts in the Bronze Age (later 3rd millennium BC), and that the Forum Boarium was a very important trading location. This was because it was located by the lowest point where the river could be easily forded, and hence was on a trackway which would have dated from Stone Age times. It is now thought that this location was central to the earliest development of Rome as a proto-urban settlement, traditionally in the 8th century BC when the village on the Palatine took priority, the one on the Capitoline became a sacred enclosure and the formerly important one on the Quirinal faded away. Those who imagine that Rome is truly ancient need to be reminded that the Great Pyramid of Egypt was finished in about 2560 BC. Ara Maxima of Hercules The Aenid of Virgil has the legend that Hercules the Greek hero was mugged by a humanoid monster called Cacus which lived in a cave under the Aventine, and took his revenge by killing it. In gratitude a group of Greeks living on the Palatine under a leader called Evander raised an open-air altar to the hero, the so-called Ara Maxima. This legend has been thought to have been owing to ancient Romans wanting to give themselves a Greek pedigree, but mid 8th century Greek pottery has been found in the Forum Boarium which has led some archaeologists to suggest that it must have a grain of truth. The further suggestion, influential although not conclusively proven, is that this altar is visible in the crypt of the church. Hence the conclusion that the church is arguably the oldest continuously occupied place of worship in Rome. Foundation of the church The Church was probably first built in the 6th century as part of a diaconia, an institution helping the poor. It was rebuilt by Pope Adrian I in 782. Exiles from the iconoclast persecutions in the East in the 8th century were sheltered here. It owes its present state to 9th and 12th century rebuildings. Its slender campanile is well known, giving it an unusual but pleasing appearance. The church is also known as Santa Maria in Schola Graeca, (Our Lady for the Greek Community). It was used by Greek merchants in Rome, and Greek monks used to serve here. The name Kosmidion was used in the 8th century, probably a reference to the rich decoration. A sacristy and an oratory dedicated to St Nicholas were added in the 9th century, but they were removed in 1085 by Robert Guiscard. The church was given a Baroque appearance in the 18th century, but was restored to the original style at the end of the 19th century. A Vasi engraving exists showing the Baroque frontage; see external link below. Pope Stephen II established this deaconry. Among the former titular deacons of the church is Cardinal Reginald Pole (died 1558), Archbishop of Canterbury during the English Reformation. It has been vacant since 1967. Exterior The façade was rebuilt in the Baroque style in the 18th century, but in 1899, it was returned to its medieval state. The most famous part of the church is found in the portico. The Bocca della Verità, 'Mouth of Truth', can be found at the left end. It is an ancient well-head or drain cover in the shape of a mask, placed here in 1632. According to legend, your hand will be bitten off if you place it inside the mouth and tell a lie. Also in the portico is a monument to the architect Alphanus, who worked for Pope Calixtus II in the early 12th century. The main door has 11th century carvings with Classical motifs, and is the work of Giovanni di Venetia. Roman buildings, possibly part of the Stato Annonae, the residence of the Prefect in charge of food supplies have been found beneath the church. Interior The pavement, choir enclosure, pulpit, paschal candlestick, the baldachino over the altar and the altar screen were the work of the Cosmati in the 12th and 13th centuries. The baldachino, in Gothic style with Cosmatesque decoration, is signed 'Deodatus me fecit', 'Deodatus, (son of Cosmas) made me'. It is dated to 1294. Some of these were destroyed in the 18th century rebuilding, but were reconstructed in the 19th century. The choir enclosure and canopy are original. The paintings are recent, but in a style that makes them look ancient. In front of the high altar is a rare example of 8th century opus sectile. The high altar holds the skull of St Valentine. On his feast day, February 14th, it is brought out and crowned with roses. Above the episcopal throne is an icon of Our Lady said to have been brought from Constantinople by Greek monks fleeing iconoclasm. An 8th century mosaic of the Adoration of the Magi is displayed in the sacristy. It was originally in Chapel of the Virgin in old St Peter's, built under Pope John VII (706-707). Several ancient buildings were demolished to build the church, and remains of these buildings are the cause of the visible irregularity of the nave. On either side of the door are black granite stones. They are standardised Roman weights. In pre-Christian times, such weights were kept in the temples were they could be used to check the weights used by merchants. When Rome became a Christian city, they were moved to the churches. Special notes The Greek traditions connected to the church has been renewed, as the church is now open to the Melkite community in Rome. This consists mainly of Lebanese Catholics under the Byzantine rite. Mass is celebrated in both Arabic and Greek. External links *Vasi engraving of church. Maria in Cosmedin Maria in Cosmedin Maria in Cosmedin Category:Ripa Category:Oriental Catholic churches